Process Metrix Laser Contouring System (LCS) for Ladle Lining

Thickness Monitoring

Process Metrix6622 Owens Drive

Pleasanton, CA 94588 USA

Process Metrix – A History of Instrumentation Development

Insitec Measurement Systems –Founded in 1985, laser-based particle size instrumentsClose associations with gov’t labs, $5M in government research1993 - development of instrumentation for steel industry: Two color pyrometry (temperature), spectroscopy (off-gas control), range finding (refractory thickness measurement)

Insitec sold to Malvern, PLC in 1997 –Principles stay on to support technology transfer

Process Metrix started January, 2000 -Same group of peopleFocus on steel sensors, particles, continued gov’t fundingLCS released in 2001Next-gen particle sensor released in 2004Sales growing rapidly as market penetration increases

Total Control of All Aspects of our Product

A talented group-Engineering staff include:

Ph.D, M.S. and B.S. degreed mechanical and chemical engineers Electronics technicians

Process Metrix designs and builds its own:Software - Microsoft Windows-basedHardware –

3-D CAD development tools, including Finite Element Analsysis (FEA)San Francisco Bay area job shops fabricate machine parts

Electronics –In-house schematic and board layout tools, with modeling capabilityBoards fabricated using state-of-the-art tooling in Silicon Valley

Each instrument is hand assembled in our factory, tested, and verified following strict quality control procedures

LCS Sales Show Rapid Market Uptake

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A World-Wide Installed Base Serves Converters, Ladles, EAF’s and AOD’s

Installation at Slide Gate Maintenance Station (Bao Steel, Posco, REP, Tubos Reunidos)

Installation at Slide Gate Maintenance Station (Bao Steel, Posco, REP, Tubos Reunidos)

Measurement on Transfer Car (DEW, POSCO)

Measurement Spatial Resolution

Depends on multiple factors: Point density, laser beam diameter, distance between vessel and scanner

LCS system offers three measurement resolutions: 0.2°, 0.1°, 0.05°

Range (m) 0.2 0.1 0.054 14.0 7.0 3.57 24.4 12.2 6.112 41.9 20.9 10.5

Measurement Resolution (Deg)Point Spacing (mm) vs. Resolution and Range

Accuracy of the Range Measurement

Single point measurement accuracy is ±10 mm

High point density facilitates spatial averaging for improved thickness accuracy

For statistically independent measurements, error is reduced by 1/√n, where n is number of samples

Spatially averaging 10 measurements reduces error to less than 4 mm

Have observed measurement repeatability error of less than 2 mm

Comprehensive Software For Data Collection and Analysis

Data collection, instrument control and status indicationMessage loggingCampaign ManagerOn-board error messaging3-D data processing using triangle meshAutomatic outlier point removalPresentation of raw and reduced data2-D Slice displaysBottom and wall contour displaysSummary table

Wear rate calculatorLevel 2 outputData export to CSV formatPassword-protected access controlBath height and slag height calculatorReport output generatorSurface temperature calibration and display moduleConfiguration Manager

Tracking Campaign History

Software has capability to output data in .csvformat

Can be sent to Level 2 system

Use this information to Develop wear rate analysis,

Review wear history

Correlate operations with wear

Fixed-Head LCS SystemComponents

Principle Components of Laser System:Principle Components of Laser System:Riegl scanning laser range finder

Water cooled/heated laser enclosure with

pneumatically actuated door

Control electronics

Computer (Windows OS), printerEthernet communication link to control electronic

Purpose-built software

Riegl Z210i-HT Scanning Laser Range Finder for Ladle Measurement

Incorporates Riegl measurement head – same head as used in mobile system

5 mm range uncertainty

±40° vertical field of view, 0° -350 ° horizontal

8,000 Hz data acquisition

Water cooled and optically filtered for high heat load

Can be mounted in any orientation

Water-cooled enclosure, pneumatically actuated door

Fast: Data acquisition typically 20 seconds, 10 Fast: Data acquisition typically 20 seconds, 10 second data reductionsecond data reduction

Reliability and Performance of the Riegl Z210i-HT

Oldest Riegl system in our customer base purchased in 2001Oldest Riegl system in our customer base purchased in 2001

40+ heads installed40+ heads installed

Only two problems observed in entire fleetOnly two problems observed in entire fleet

No observed performance degradation with ageNo observed performance degradation with age

Recommended service after 5000 hours of operation (laser on Recommended service after 5000 hours of operation (laser on time). Process Metrix provides head for exchange if system time). Process Metrix provides head for exchange if system under service contract.under service contract.

Allowable temperature range of operation: 18Allowable temperature range of operation: 18--50 50 °°C. Head C. Head shuts down automatically when outside of this range.shuts down automatically when outside of this range.

Key Considerations for Ladle Applications

Thin lining in ladle requires high accuracy ranging head (5 mm uncertainty)

Must know position of ladle to similar accuracy

Installation location must include the current ladle work flow:

Slide gate maintenance station

Transfer car

Pre-heater station

Reference measurement of newly-bricked HOT ladle crucial for accuracy

Campaign manager (software) tracks each ladle to allow assessment of ladle thickness over time

Determining Ladle Position – Method 1: Image Analysis

Use range data from ladle lip to determine ladle position

Completely automated process, fast, easy measurement

Requires that the lip ring be nominally free of slag/steel

All or a portion of the lip ring plates must remain flat (no deformation due to heat, etc.)

Large number of scanned points on lip ring give high accuracy positioning

Data from this region of lip ring used to

determine ladle position

Determining Ladle Position - Method #2: Instrumented Ladle Stand

Use single-point laser range finders to determine ladle position in ladle stand

Typically requires several degrees of freedom be fixed (i.e. rotations are more difficult to measure)

Fast, automated

Output of laser range finders automatically read by LCS system

Laser

X

Z

Determining Ladle Position - Method #3: Scanned Tags

Tags on ladle used to determine ladle position

Tags scanned during measurement

Completely automated for fast, easy measurement

Three tags needed to locate ladle

Tags must be kept clean

Typically two removable, two attached

Tags

RFID for Total Lade Tracking in the Mill

RFID tracks ladle number, heat number (other information) as ladle moves through mill

Passive RFID tag stores 1064 bits of information

RFID write station at slide gate maintenance point writes updated heat number to ladle

Integrate with plant Level II control

RFID read stations located throughout mill (LCS measurement station, caster, etc.) receive ladle information when ladle is in range

Measurement Repeatability: 1-2mm

0.2 0.3 0.0 3.0 1.0 4.3 2.3 -0.7 2.3 1.3 1.0 3.0 2.00.4 0.0 0.3 -0.3 -0.3 0.3 0.3 -0.7 0.7 -0.3 0.3 0.7 1.00.6 4.0 2.7 2.3 1.7 2.0 2.0 1.3 1.7 1.7 1.3 2.3 1.70.8 3.7 0.7 0.3 0.0 1.7 3.7 -1.0 0.3 1.0 -0.3 2.3 0.31.0 1.0 0.7 2.7 0.0 0.7 0.7 1.3 1.0 1.3 0.3 -0.3 0.01.2 0.7 0.3 1.3 -1.0 2.0 1.7 -0.7 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 2.01.4 2.7 1.0 -0.7 1.0 0.0 0.3 1.7 1.7 1.7 -1.7 0.0 0.01.6 0.3 0.7 -0.7 -2.0 0.0 0.3 -0.3 0.3 0.0 -0.3 0.7 0.31.8 0.7 1.3 0.7 0.3 1.3 2.0 0.3 1.3 0.3 0.0 1.0 -0.32.0 2.3 0.3 -0.3 -0.7 0.7 1.3 1.0 2.0 1.3 0.0 -0.3 0.32.2 0.3 1.3 0.0 0.3 1.0 0.7 2.3 1.3 1.0 1.7 1.7 1.02.4 1.3 1.3 -0.3 1.3 0.0 0.3 -1.0 1.3 2.0 0.7 0.7 1.32.6 0.7 0.3 0.0 1.0 0.7 -0.3 2.0 2.0 -0.3 -0.7 0.3 1.02.8 1.0 1.0 0.3 -0.7 -0.3 -0.3 0.7 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.7 1.33.0 1.7 1.0 0.0 -1.0 0.7 -0.3 1.3 0.3 0.0 -0.3 1.3 0.33.2 0.7 1.0 0.7 0.0 0.3 -1.0 0.3 0.7 2.3 0.0 0.3 2.03.4 3.0 1.0 0.7 -0.7 -1.0 2.7 -2.0 0.3 -0.3 1.0 1.3 2.3

180° 210° 240° 270° 300° 330° 0° 30° 60° 90° 120° 150°

Angular Position in Ladle (90-270=trunion)

Dis

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om L

adle

Lip

(m

)

Lining thickness difference (mm)

Data collected from a series of measurements made on a single ladle in transfer car

Comprehensive Service/Support

Comprehensive warranty on all system components

Process Metrix offers a comprehensive service/support plant

Qualified and trained engineers provide local service and support.

Developers of the system provide service, or direct those who do

Service plan includes:

Twice yearly (minimum) visits to verify performance and operation

Unlimited telephone and website support

All software upgrades (as released)

Replacement of all systems components that fail through normal use

Ongoing training at customer site

System Installation Steps

Install required facilities (power, water cooling, Ethernet)Install instrument, computer, electronics

Connect facilities, verify operationInstall hardware/fiducials required to locate ladle

Configure software:Input survey dataLadle geometry (from as-bricked profile)

As ladles are relined:Measure steel shell and use as thickness reference Measure newly relined ladle before first heat (replaces as-bricked profile)

Train personnel

In Summary….

The LCS product is engineered for mill service and has a proven reliability record

The system provides the highest quality data in the shortest time – Industry Wide

Software system provide advanced functions using simple user interfaces

System is manufactured in the USA, and includes the highest quality components available

Service and support provided locally by trained engineers from PMC